Brush trimmer



Feb. 8, 1966 H. c. PETERSON BRUSH TRIMMER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 2, 1962 INVENTOR. [d GP 2213072 Feb. 8, 1966 H. c. PETERSON 3,233,943

BRUSH TRIMMER Filed Nov. 2, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 8, 1966 H. c. PETERSON 3,233,943

BRUSH TRIMMER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 2, 1962 United States Patent 3,253,943 BRUSH TRIMMER Harold C. Peterson, Geneva, IIL, asn'gnor to Carlson Tool & Machine Company, a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 234,943 11 Claims. (Cl. 3tlil17) This invention relates to a machine, and more particularly to a bristle trimming machine.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and useful trimmer.

Many brushes have the free ends of their bristles trimmed to provide a desired configuration, for example, paint brush bristles are often shaped to a chisel point. Such shaping has entailed many problems, particularly in shaping brushes having synthetic bristles such as nylon, for example. A major problem has been in retaining adequate sharpness of cutters and in sharpening the cutters. Another problem has been caused by cutter shapes which do not readily permit adjustment to compensate for wear of certain portions of the cutter. Because prior cutters are generally of the precise shape desired in the trimmed bristles, it has been necessary to provide different cutters for each different size brush and for different shapes desired in the trimmed bristles. Another difficulty has been that trimmers were so constructed that a solid mass of bristles was presented to the cutter, often resulting in the cutter biting into or gouging the bristle mass and producing a ragged and unsatisfactory trim.

An important object of this invention is to provide a new and useful brush trimming machine which is durable in operation and versatile in handling various sizes of brushes and providing various configurations of trimmed brush bristles.

Another object is to provide a new and useful cutter assembly, and components thereof.

A further-object is provision of a new and useful trim-ming machine adjustable for handling various size Work pieces and providing various trim configurations to the workpieces while utilizing the same basic cutter assembly.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic, fragmentary plan view of a preferred embodiment of the brush trimmer of this invention with brushes passing from trimming units, and parts shown in phantom lines for clearer illustration;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic, fragmentary elevational View broken away in part generally along the line 22 of FIGURE 1, but showing the brushes engaging cutters of the trimming units;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a pair of trimming units;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary right-hand end view of the trimming unit shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

Patented Feb. 8, 1966 7 made without departing from the spirit and scope of FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The invention is, in brief, directed to a trimmer illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the form of a brush trimming machine particularly suited for use in providing a chisel point on the free ends of synthetic paint brush bristles, for example, nylon bristles. In the illustrated embodiment a pair of trimming units each includes a pair of trimming heads, one unit for initial rough trimming and the other for a subsequent finish trimming. Each head has a novel cutter assembly such as to remain sharp a longer period of time and to accept various sizes of brushes and provide various trimmed bristle shapes upon adjustment of the heads. While the heads are preferably mounted for any desired sort of adjustment, it should be particularly noted that the heads of each trimming unit may be adjusted laterally of the brush to accommodate various size brushes and angularly to vary the configuration of the trimmed ends of the brush bristles.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURES 1 and 2 schematically illustrate the trimming portion of a trimming machine 20 which includes a first trimming unit 21 for providing an initial relatively rough trim to free ends of a brush bristle bundle 22 suitably mounted in a brush handle 23 operatively positioned in suitable holder means 24 of a conveyor 25. A second trimming unit 26 receives the roughly trimmed brushes and provides a finished trim to the free ends of the bundle of bristles. The two trimming units are basically the same and the remaining description will be directed to the first trimming unit 21 shown in perspective in FIGURE 3. Means is provided for mounting the heads for vertical and lateral adjustment, and herein a common base 33 carries upright posts 34 each telescopically receiving a fixture 35 which may be clamped in any desired vertically disposed position along the post by means of a clamping screrw having a knob 36. Generally horizontal arms 37 are secured, one to each head and telescopically received in fixture 35 to which it may be releasably clamped in adjusted position by means of a knob 38.

A body portion 40 of each head is pivotally mounted on a yoke member 41 fixedly secured to the respective arm 37, and more particularly each body is received between opposed quadrant legs 42 of the yoke and is secured thereto by bolts 43 extending through a pair of arcuate slots 44 in each leg 42. As shown in FIGURE 3, suitable indexing means such as a scale 45 on one of the quadrant legs 42 and a cooperating index mark 46 on body 46 may be provided for accurately and conveniently adjusting the angular disposition of the respective head.

Each head 3% has a trimmer in the form of a cutting assembly 50, and with particular reference to FIGURE 6, cutting assembly 51 includes a rotary cutter 51 received in a chamber 52 of body til and mounted on an end of a drive shaft 53 for rotation with the shaft. Shaft 53 is driven through a belt drive 53a responsive to operation of a motor 53b. A stationary cutting blade 54 is mounted on a bracket 55 for movement toward and away from rotor by means of countersunk bolts 56 extending through elongated slots 57 in blade 54 and threadedly received in bracket 55. Bracket is mounted for movement of blade 54 generally radially of shaft 53 and in the illustrated embodiment, vertically, and herein bracket 55 is mounted on body 40 by means of bolts 53 extending through elongated slots 59 in bracket 55 and threadedly received in body 40.

Rotor 51 and stationary blade 54 have complementary cutting edge portions 61 and 64, as may best be seen in FIGURE 6. The rotor cutting edges are on outwardly extending rotor fingers 65, four such fingers being illustrated, and blade cutting edge 64is on an inner upper portion of the blade, as illustrated. These cutting edge pot-- tions have a profile which may best be seen in FIGURE 7,

each rotor apex 66 is defined by a concave central arcuate portion 7dextendingyoutwardly in opposite .directions about thirty degrees fronrthe radial centerline of the rotor and described by a relatively short radius extending froma center '71 on the radial; center, and arcuate side portions 72 and 73 described by relatively longradii about centers indicated by points 74 and 75, respectively;

on opposite sides of the center line, as shown in FIG- URE9. Arcuate' side portions 72 and 73 are tangent to V arcuate center portion 76, and to sides 67 and 6%, respectively, providing a wide and shallow profile. The stationary blade profile is complementary to the rotor profile and has a central arcuate portion 80, side arcuate portions 82 and 83 and straight side portions 86 and 87 cor-' responding to rotor portions 7%, 72, 73,75 and .77, respec-. tively.

With reference to FIGURE'4, the profiles of applicants cutting edge portions are such as to trim only one side, as'fiii, of the free ends of bristles 22, with the companion head of the trimming unit providing the desired trimmed I configuration to the opposite side $1 of the bristles. In order to eifect alternate trimming of opposite sides of the bristle bundle, first head 394 extends-to one side of con- 7 veyor 25 and is tilted as illustrated in FIGURES l, 3, 4

and 7, so that its cutting edge portions engage and trim side90' of bristle bundle 22,.and second head 30-2 extends outwardly on the opposite side of-conveyor 2S and is inclined in an opposite direction as illustrated in. FIG: URE 3, sothat its cutting edge portions t-rim side 91* of bristle bundle 22. As previously described,.the inclinabolts 43 and swingingthe respective head to any inclination as indicated by the index means 45,46, and then tightening bolts 43 .to retain the desired setting. Thus, the same cutter assembly may be utilized'in providing a gradually tapering chisel point or a blunt chisel point.

Various widths of brushes, and more particularly bristle;

bundles, may also be trimmed with the same cutter assembly by moving heads 3il-l and 39-2 toward oraway from V conveyor 25" by merely loosening knob 38 and making the appropriate adjustment whereupon knob 38 isragain Such lateral tightened .to maintain the desired setting. movement of the: cutter assembly of headBlP-Z is illustrated by phantom lines in FIGURE 9.

Each head is provided with guide means for retaining brush bristles properly oriented with respect to the cutter assembly, and herein this means is in the form of a guide member 95 generally horizontal and parallel to the path of movement of conveyor 25.. Guide member 95 hasan outwardly flared leading portion 97 for guiding bristles into proper alignment with the cutters. Guide member 95 is fixedly secured, in any suitable manner as by soldering, to a guide shoe 9% having an end: snugly received ina vertical channel 100 in a mounting bracket 1G1 adjustably connected at an upper end to a horizontal arm 192 by means of a vertically elongated slot in the bracket receiving a bolt 103 threaded into an end of arrn102, thus providing adjustment in elevation of guide member95. Arm 102 has a horizontally elongated slot 104 at end opposite bracket 161 and a bolt 165 extends through this slot and is threadedly received in the base of yoke member 41 so-that guide member 95 may be adjusted horizontally by loosening the bolt. It should be noted that on each head 30, guide member 95 is adjacent the side of brush bristles which are to be trimmed.

Means is provided for separating the bristles from the tion'of heads 36 may be adjusted asdesired by loosening mass of'bristle bundle 22 as it is engaged by cuttenrotor:

51 ,to avoid gouging orotherwise.providing'an uneven trim to the free ends'ofthe bristles, and hereina flipper member 110 is provided. Flipper lltl-has a generally L- V shaped plate-like body withvone leg firmly; secured to body 40 by a bqlt1-11 and a second leg extending inwardlyw toward rotor 51 with a dependingfiange lhiat its inner end for engaging the free ends of bristles in bundle 22 as they are moved by conveyor; 25 into the cutter assembly.

Thus, as the bristles'passunder. the lower edge of flange. 112 they are individually flipped-into the path of rotor cutting fingersj; border to provide. less resistance tO'l the movement ofthe bristles andto prevent ajcollectionof bristle'particles, flipper 110.;has anopening 113 in its inwardly extending. leg. 2 Tofurther preventv a build up;

of trimmed bristle particles aboutr the cutter assembly,

a vent opening 115 mayjbeuprovided into chamber 52,

and this opening may be suitably connected with an ear-- haust ductif desired.

mountedin holders-24 of conveyor 25 for movement along a .path as indicatednby the arrows in FIGURES l and 2, and positioned so'that =free-ends of bristles of. bundle 22 pass serially through cutter assemblies 50" of trimming units 21, i there being two such units arranged in tandem. These units may-be identical to each other,- and-the first unit provides, a rough trim and the second unit a finished trim. As the-bristle bundle 22 moves-into the cutting assemblies, it engages guide members and the bristle-free endsengage flippers which cause the bristles to individually'fiipinto the path of cutter rotor- Sll; and more particularly cutting fingers 65".) In the first trimming unit, head 30-1 "trims sidei9ii of bristle bundle '22 and head 30-2 trims side-91-,l providing a relatively rough trim, and thereafterconveyor'25. movesthe brushes into the second trimming .unit 21 zwhereid the cutting process is repeatedas previously described to provide a finish trim. I

I claim:

1. A trimming machine for chisel of a bundle of bristles in a.-brush,-comprising:*a base; a conveyor- 'operatively associated with said baseafor mounting the brushes and moving the brushes; in a path; a firstpair of trimming heads for rough'chisel pointtrimming freeends' of'the bundleofbristles" anda second pair of trimming headsfor finish chisel point trimming thorough trimmed free ends, 'each 'head having a trimmer along said path and including a driven rotary cutter. and

a cooperating stationary cutter-for receiving said free. ends and trimming only one ,side. .of the bristle bundle,-

the cutters having cooperating .cuttingjprofils complementary to eachother and each with an apeXand sides diverging outwardlyr-atabout ninety degrees frornsaid apex, and said apex being arcuate .andgenerallytangent to said: sides," the :trimmmof each head being substantially identical, means for guiding into .each trimmer the side of the bristles to :be trimmed by the respec'tiv'e' trimmer, and a ,flipper member 'atfa brush receiving end of the head for engaging the bristle-free: ends and individually. flipping each free end ihto" the rotary-cutter; and meansrnounting the heads on said" base for trimfnihg opposite sides of thebristles with the apeir and only'one.

side of each'cutten cutting the bristle-free ends, and for relative rn'ovement laterally .of said path" for receiving To summarize: the operation of tthe brush: trimming machine,brushes to be trimmedhave their handles 23 I pointing free ends.

a shallow concave cutting portion and a stationary cutter with a cooperating complementary cutter portion for receiving said free ends and trimming only one side of the bristle bundle, the trimmers of each head being substantially identical, and a flipper member at a brush receiving end of the head for engaging the bristle free ends and individually flipping each free end into the rotary cutter; and means mounting the heads on said base for trimming opposite sides of the bristles and for relative movement laterally of said path for receiving various thicknesses of brushes, and for varying the effective angle of the trimmers with respect to said path to vary the shape of the trimmed free ends.

3. A trimming machine for trimming bristles in a brush, comprising: means for moving brushes in a path through the machine; a head adjacent the path of brush travel, said head having a cutting blade positioned in the path of brush travel for trimming some of said bristles in a swath generally coextensive with the path of brush travel; and means mounting said head on said machine for movement through an arcuate path toward and away from one side of the path of brush travel to change the position of said blade relative to the brush bristles to adapt said trimming machine for trimming diiferent bristle configurations.

4. The trimming machine of claim 3 wherein said cutting blade is positioned to trim the bristles along one side of the brush.

5. The trimming machine of claim 3 wherein said cutting blade is positioned at an angle relative to the bristles of the brush and wherein said head may be adjusted to change said angle and thereby produce different bristle configurations.

6. The trimming machine of claim 5 wherein said cutting blade has a shallow concave cutting edge for trimming only one side of the bristles of a brush and wherein the means for moving the brushes presents the other side of said brushes to a cutting blade oriented at substantially the same angle to the other side of said brush as the one side to produce a desired bristle configuration on said brushes. i

7. The trimming machine of claim 6 wherein said cutting blade trims said bristles along the apex and one leg of the concave cutting edge of the blade.

8. A machine for trimming a bundle of bristles in a brush, comprising: means for moving brushes in a path through the machine, a pair of spaced trimming heads adjacent the path of brush movement, each head having cutting blades for trimming bristle ends on one side of the bristle bundles; means providing for relative adjustment of the cutting blades and bristles to selectively position the bristles for trimming, means mounting the cutting blades for trimming opposite sides of the bristles and for relative movement laterally of each other for receiving various thicknesses of brushes, each of said cutting blades having a profile with an apex and sides diverging outwardly from a wide angle from said apex to the outer ends of said sides, said apex being arcuate and generally tangent to said sides.

9. The machine of claim 8 wherein the mounting means positions each apex and only one side of each trimmer for trimming association with the bristle-free ends.

10. A machine for trimming a bundle of bristles in a brush, comprising: means for moving brushes in a path through the machine, a pair of spaced trimming heads mounted adjacent to and extending across the path of brush movement, each head having a trimming blade normally positioned across the path of brush movement for trimming the free ends and only one side of the bristle bundle; and a mounting arm on the machine to which each head is mounted for movement of the heads and blades through an arcuate path toward and away from the path of brush movement to mount the heads for movement relative to each other and to adjust the angle of each trimming blade relative to the bristle bundles and thereby adapt the trimming machine for trimming different bristle shapes.

11. A machine for trimming a bundle of bristles in a brush, comprising: means for moving brushes in a path through the machine; a pair of spaced trimming heads adjacent the path of brush movement, each head having a trimming blade for trimming the free ends and only one side of the bristle bundle, each trimming blade having a shallow concave cutting edge with the apex and one side of the shallow concave cutting portion presented to said bristles for cutting one side thereof; and means mounting the trimming heads on the machine so that alternate cutting blades are positioned at complementary angles rela tive to each other to produce the desired bristle configuration, said mounting means mounting said heads for movement relative to each other and toward and away from the path of brush movement to adjust the angle of each trimming blade relative to the bristle bundles to adapt the trimming machine for trimming different bristle shapes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 132,032 10/1872 Stone 300-17 359,847 3/ 1887 Coldwell 30017 913,523 2/1909 Lebherz 30017 FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TRIMMING MACHINE FOR CHISEL POINTING FREE ENDS OF A BUNDLE OF BRISTLES IN A BRUSH, COMPRISING: A BASE; A CONVEYOR OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID BASE FOR MOUNTING THE BRUSHES AND MOVING THE BRUSHES IN A PATH; A FIRST PAIR OF TRIMMING HEADS FOR ROUGH CHISEL POINT TRIMMINING FREE ENDS OF THE BUNDLE OF BRISTLES AND A SECOND PAIR OF TRIMMING HEADS FOR FINISH CHISEL POINT TRIMMING THE ROUGH TRIMMED FREE ENDS, EACH HEAD HAVING A TRIMMER ALONG SAID PATH AND INCLUDING A DRIVEN ROTARY CUTTER AND A COOPERATING STATIONARY CUTTER FOR RECEIVING SAID FREE ENDS AND TRIMMING ONLY ONE SIDE OF THE BRISTLE BUNDLE, THE CUTTERS HAVING COOPERATING CUTTING PROFILES COMPLEMENTARY TO EACH OTHER AND EACH WITH AN APEX AND SIDES DIVERGING OUTWARDLY AT ABOUT NINETY DEGREES FROM SAID APEX, AND SAID APEX BEING ARCUATE AND GENERALLY TANGENT TO SAID SIDES, THE TRIMMERS OF EACH HEAD BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL, MEANS FOR GUIDING INTO EACH TRIMMER THE SIDE OF THE BRISTLES TO BE TRIMMED BY THE RESPECTIVE TRIMMER, AND A FLIPPER MEMBER AT A BRUSH RECEIVING END OF THE HEAD FOR ENGAGING THE BRISTLE-FREE ENDS AND INDIVIDUALLY FLIPPING EACH FREE END INTO THE ROTARY CUTTER; AND MEANS MOUNTING THE HEADS ON SAID BASE FOR TRIMMING OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BRISTLES WITH THE APEX AND ONLY ONE SIDE OF EACH CUTTER CUTTING THE BRISTLE-FREE ENDS, AND FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT LATERALLY OF SAID PATH OF RECEIVING VARIOUS THICKNESS OF BRUSHES, AND FOR VARYING THE EFFECTIVE ANGLE OF THE TRIMMERS WITH RESPECT TO SAID PATH TO VARY THE SHAPE OF THE TRIMMED FREE ENDS. 